As I mentioned yesterday, I’m really enjoying Warren Berger’s book on questioning, and have found myself both drawn to the examples he shares, as well as how he’s crafting the chapter. As someone who enjoys writing, I tend to find beauty in both the words put to a page (or the screen) and the structure chosen to convey those words. Berger uses the act of questioning as a means for also structuring his text. Chapters are organized by questions rather than by headings, sidebars are composed of elegant questions that have helped to shape the world, and the index is a series of questions asked throughout the book, and where they are located within the text.
While some might wonder if this is a bit overboard, for me, it was a great example of the power of form meeting function. Berger clearly chose to showcase the importance of questioning by making sure that all facets of the text showcase this.
In our lives too, it pays to make sure we are melding form with function in all that we do. If we want others to see the rationale in our work, we have to do it in a way that can be followed. By combining the way we do things with what those things actually accomplish, we make it easier for those we serve to connect what they see with the philosophical qualities of how they feel and what they believe.
While our actions always speak loudest, we tend to find it easiest to take action when we understand why we’re doing something and can see the value in doing it the way it is currently arranged. When form and function meet, we’re much more likely to end up in a destination we want to occupy.